If you're interested in caring for a relative or friend's child

If you know or suspect that your relative or friend’s child is in foster care, and you want to step forward to care for them, keep reading this page.

Note

If we've already placed a relative or friend's child with you, learn more about what to expect and what you'll need to do during the first two months of placement.

Contact the caseworker

  • If you know your relative or friend's child is in foster care, ask the family for the caseworker's name and contact the caseworker. If you do not have the caseworker's contact details, you can look them up in the DCYF employee directory.
  • If you aren’t sure whether a relative or friend's child is in foster care, please be aware that DCYF can neither confirm nor deny that a child is in care. One way to bridge this challenge is to call the local child welfare office that serves the area in which the family lives. When DCYF staff answer the phone, tell them you’re calling because you believe your relative or friend's child entered care and you would like to speak with the caseworker. While the receptionist cannot tell you if the child or youth is in care, they can get you to a caseworker or supervisor who can.

If the child or youth lives outside of Washington state

You may be concerned about a relative or friend’s child who lives outside of Washington State. The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) is an agreement that governs the placement of children from one state into another state.

Learn more about how children in another state's child welfare custody process are placed in Washington state through the ICPC.

If you got a relative search letter

Learn about ways you can support your relative or friend and their child or youth. Then, decide how or if you are able to help. You can:

  • Respond to the letter by completing the online form.
  • Call or email the search specialist listed in your letter.

If you have questions about a Relative Search Inquiry letter or want to confirm the authenticity of a relative search letter you received from DCYF, email one of the staff listed on the Relative Search and Notification page.

We’ll continue to search for relatives throughout the duration of a case until the child or youth is in a permanent, stable living situation.